Undergraduate

Bachelor of Arts in Journalism

Strong writers and visual storytellers with a sense of adventure will find a home in our distinguished Bachelor of Arts in Journalism program with its reputation for producing award-winning talent.

Two students look at a tablet while sitting at the NewsWatch television anchor desk.

Journalism really let me grapple with deadlines and got my feet wet with what it is kind of like to work at a news station. Creative Visual Thinking is the class that challenged me the most. Through that class, I’ve learned how to make resumes from scratch, and it’s become a fun hobby.

DeAndria Turner

FOX 61 Connecticut, B.A.J. ‘20

About this Program

In the School of Journalism and New Media, aspiring storytellers will find five paths to a dream career – for those passionate about news, video, writing, sports, photography or graphic design, our Bachelor of Arts in Journalism gets students ready for a future of documenting the most exciting and important moments of our lives.

Customize your degree to specialize in sports or fashion, social media or magazines, or make the world a better place with an emphasis in political and social justice reporting.

Build a Winning Portfolio

You can get started on your professional media portfolio from the very beginning of your college career. Our experiential learning opportunities will put you in the center of the action. You may choose to work in our award-winning Student Media Center covering the news, creating podcasts, managing social media or producing ads. Or hit the road with your instructors for in-depth reporting trips covering everything from the aftermath of hurricanes to the impact of medical marijuana or the influence of Southern food on America.

In the classroom, you can work on creating documentaries, experimenting with social media, producing newscasts, designing your own magazine or learning the art of great play-by-play announcing. 

Students have dozens of opportunities to get published, to get paid for their media work and to explore what it’s like to be a professional from the minute they arrive on campus.

A Record of Professional Success

Our graduates go on to work in Washington or for the WWE, from TikTok to network news, at ESPN and as editors for The New York Times. Our journalism alumni are making movies, writing bestsellers, anchoring nightly newscasts and calling the shots at CBS Sports. 

You’ll learn that journalism is a versatile field that transfers easily to positions throughout the news industry, media, public relations and marketing. Companies and other organizations are always looking for strong storytellers and the hands-on, professional-level experience students pick-up in and out of the classroom has recruiters courting our grads every semester.

Our program has earned a reputation for producing notable journalists and attracting experienced professionals who mentor students and help educate them on the latest industry trends.

On this Page…

    Program Information

    Program Type

    Major

    Area of Study

    Communication and Media

    Duration

    4 Years

    Degree

    B.A.J. in Journalism

    Program Location

    Oxford

    Emphases

    TV and Video Storytelling;
    Sports Media;
    Multimedia News Reporting;
    Political and Social Justice Reporting;
    Visual Journalism

    Required Credit Hours

    124

    Select an Emphasis

    In our undergraduate Journalism program, students learn to become truth-seekers and effective communicators while gaining real world experience in multimedia. Along the way, they have the opportunity to develop specialized skills to land them that dream job.
    Whether you want to report from the sidelines, capture the action on camera or produce a game-day show, this emphasis puts you in a position to succeed. You will take classes with leaders in the sports industry.
    The TV and Video Storytelling emphasis is designed for students with a passion for video. You’ll learn how to create compelling news and sports stories, documentaries, and social video while developing skills that the industry demands.
    In the modern world, journalists do it all. The multimedia news reporting emphasis is designed for students pursuing careers in digital news media. We will help you master multimedia tools and you’ll experiment with many storytelling platforms in immersive classroom settings.
    What are you passionate about? Make a difference in the world by studying some of the most important issues of the day with faculty experts who help you learn to tell stories that matter. This emphasis is designed for students seeking careers in political reporting or reporting on social justice issues.
    If you have an eye for photography and design, you’ll learn how to create powerful images and graphics that help tell a story or illustrate a concept - valuable skills in any business field. This emphasis is designed for students seeking careers in media design and photojournalism.

    Connect with a Journalism Student

    Our student ambassadors are happy to help you with any questions you might have about the Journalism program and life at Ole Miss.

    Celeste Lay

    Celeste Lay

    • Greek Life
    • Student Activities Association

    What would you tell a high school student about your major?

    See Celeste’s Answer

    Specializations

    Journalism at the University of Mississippi gives you the tools you need to tell interesting stories. Whether it's writing, video, design or photography, you'll be at home in our program.

    Are you a sports fan interested in promoting your favorite team or working to tell its story? Learn how to do it with our Sports Communication and Promotion Emphasis.

    This specialization takes a unique look at collegiate and professional sports, sports media, athlete representation, corporate involvement, and more. 

    Course offerings include Foundation of Sports, Sports Promotion, Sports Media and Reporting,Sports Television Production, an internship or any other approved sports-themed special topics course in the School of Journalism and New Media.

    Do you love communicating with an audience using Instagram, YouTube and TikTok? If you envision yourself managing social media for yourself, a brand, company or organization one day, our Social Media emphasis may be the right path for you.

    The Social Media specialization examines how social media affects various aspects of our lives. You’ll take courses such as Social Media in Society, Social Media Content Creation or design your own social media-focused internship.

    Maybe you want to open your own clothing store one day or write about your favorite fashion brand. If you love the art of fashion and want to learn more about the business, you can study how fashion and media are connected. 

    This specialization is for those who are interested in trends, marketing and branding in the fashion industry. You’ll take classes such as Fashion Promotion and Media as well as Fashion Merchandising and then expand your skillset with an internship, video or photo classes.

    Public relations specialists work to build and maintain a positive reputation for a company or brand. Using social media, news releases and other strategic messaging, they shape public opinion and increase awareness about a company or organization. 

    Students interested in the PR Specialization will take classes such as Intro to Multimedia Writing, Public Relations, Public Relations Techniques, and PR Case Problems.

    Let your inner artist create your future with our Visual Design emphasis, where you’ll learn to use graphics and imagery to communicate messages and tell a story. 

    Visual Design is for those who want to plan, visualize and create digital and printed materials for media projects. You get to take Visual Communication and then choose from courses such as 3-D Modeling, Motion Graphics, and Designing Interactivity.

    If you are interested in running the show one day, the Media Sales and Management emphasis will teach you how to generate revenue as a sales professional and how to lead a team. 

    Media Sales and Management is for those interested in learning about advertising techniques and media enterprise management. You’ll take Media Sales, Media Management and a media sales elective.

    Those who love reading Vogue, Glamour, The New Yorker, People or Game Informer may have envisioned themselves working for these magazines.

    With this emphasis, you’ll also learn how to launch and run your own magazine. This specialization gives students experience with the content, business and publishing aspects of the magazine industry. You’ll take classes such as Magazine Service Journalism, Magazine Service Journalism Publishing and then choose from a series of elective classes.

    If you have ever envisioned working in the communications department for a hospital or writing informative stories about the latest health trends to educate the public, you may be interested in our Health Communications specialization.

    Courses in the Health Communication specialization focus on the growing field of health communication, with an emphasis on health promotion and health journalism. You’ll take classes such as Health Communication, Persuasion, and interdisciplinary options from across the campus.

    Where Our Students Go

    Our Journalism degree prepares graduates for careers in video storytelling, online news, sports media, television, magazines, newspapers, social media, and many other fields where writing and multimedia communication skills are needed.

    Our graduates have landed jobs with the SEC Network, Apple News, The New York Times, FOX News, MTV, Southern Living, CBS News, Vogue, CNN, ESPN and Elle Décor, and hundreds of local and regional news and sports organizations.

    A.J. Norwood standing in front of a yellow background.

    Gain Experience in Our Student Media Center

    “Auditioning for NewsWatch Ole Miss and getting hired there was pretty much how I got my start. It opened up a lot of opportunities for me due to the work that I put in, and I was blessed to be able to make things happen as a result of it.”

    A.J. Norwood

    Fellow, NBA on TNT, B.A.J. ‘22

    Next Steps

    Explore Affordability

    We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.

    Apply to the University of Mississippi

    Are you ready to take the next step toward building your legacy?